The present invention relates generally to media delivery, and more particularly, to systems and methods for enhancing streaming media.
There are two primary forms of streaming video on the web: on demand streaming and real-time streaming (live). On-demand streaming takes a compressed video file, residing on a server, and sends it to a client computer for playback. The amount of data sent is evenly distributed throughout the playback of the video. Real-time streaming, on the other hand, is more like traditional live TV broadcasting, wherein a video stream of a live event is generated in real time.
One problem with many conventional streaming media technologies is the proliferation of incompatible platforms. With the development of streaming technologies, two primary players have emerged as industry leaders: Real Networks' RealMedia (Real), and Microsoft Windows Media (Windows Media). Real and Windows Media generally represent packages of software that enable data to be traded in a recognizable format, which is used for the client machine to interpret the compressed file.
In addition to the differences between Real and Windows Media, the delivery of streaming media must also account for two distinct web-browser environments: Netscape and Internet Explorer.
In combination, the streaming media options of live/on-demand, Real/Windows Media, and Netscape/Intenet Explorer present eight distinctly different delivery scenarios that must be accounted for. It is therefore a goal to generate a solution that enables consistent application and performance across various delivery scenarios. This consistency will enable the solution to hit the largest possible streaming media audience.